Senior Conservator (Arms and Armour)

It's conserving a collection that will be enjoyed by future generations.

It's the satisfaction in delivering outstanding results. And it's working with one of the world's largest art collections. This is what makes a career with Royal Collection Trust so special.

In terms of both quality and diversity, the Royal Collection is truly unique. As home to a significant part of this remarkable Collection, Windsor Castle holds one of the finest collections of historic arms and armour, dating from the 16th to the 20th Century.

As the Senior Arms & Armour Conservator based at our on-site conservation workshop, you'll oversee a team of talented conservation specialists, conserving a vast array of historic arms and armour and related media. You’ll take a leading role in shaping best practice, guiding colleagues and ensuring the long-term preservation of this exceptional collection.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the conservation, treatment and maintenance of historic arms and armour, ensuring the highest professional standards.
• Prepare treatment proposals and documentation, and support new displays, exhibitions and loans through condition reporting and installation.
• Conduct condition surveys and recommend remedial treatments across the collection at all locations where arms and armour is displayed including other royal residences and long-term loan locations.
• Oversee environmental and preventive conservation measures, promoting optimum conditions across all sites.
• Manage the Arms & Armour workshop, tools, equipment and conservation budget.
• Line manage and mentor staff, deliver training and also support visiting researchers and specialists.
• Contribute to research, publications, cataloguing and wider curatorial projects involving arms and armour.

And knowing that you're helping to preserve a collection that will be enjoyed by millions means you'll aim for the highest standards in all that you do.

About You:

• You'll be educated in a relevant discipline and have completed a Metals Conservation course, along with previous experience in conserving historic arms and armour.
• With relevant conservation skills and a working knowledge, you understand the technicalities of working with historic arms and armour and will be confident evaluating items, as well as proposing practical conservation treatments.
• You’ll be skilled in treating metals, organic materials and composite objects including European, Asian and East Asian arms and armour.
• You'll also have some experience of setting up temporary exhibitions, with knowledge of the various processes involved including, packing, installation and display requirements.
• A good command of relevant IT programs will be important too to use our collection database.
• You’ll have excellent organisational and prioritisation skills and be able to manage your own workstreams and take initiative on decisions when required.
• An adaptable communicator, you’ll be confident working alongside other experts as well as liaising with and advising colleagues across the organisation.
• Whilst an ICON accreditation and familiarity with scientific analysis techniques would be desirable, it’s your exceptional eye for detail and your drive to maintain the very highest standards of care and conservation that we’re looking for.

What We Offer:

We know that to deliver our best work; we need to feel at our best. That’s why at the Royal Household we offer a generous benefits package designed to support your wellbeing and life priorities.

• Enjoy 25 days annual leave, rising to 30 days pro rata (plus bank holidays) dependent on the length of time you have worked for us.
• Our excellent non-contributory pension plan (we’ll contribute 15% and you can contribute more if you wish) is highly valued by our employees, as is complimentary lunch on-site to keep you fuelled throughout the day.
• We also offer a range of leave options to support your life priorities, such as parental pay and leave and volunteering days, as well as benefits to support your physical and mental wellbeing.
• Other perks include 20% off at our Royal Collection Trust Shops and complimentary admission tickets across all our locations, along with many more exclusive employee discounts.

Find out more about the full range of benefits available to our employees here.